Health Equity blog

A new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health reveals that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans are beginning to exit markets across the nation, estimating that 10% of enrollees (about 2.9 million people) will lose coverage in 2026 alone, with some states facing significantly higher rates of coverage loss. Rural counties and counties with less MA penetration are expected to experience more widespread plan exits. The study attributes this development to financial pressures and policy uncertainty facing MA plans, which are run by private insurance companies.

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and the federal Medicaid cuts in reimbursement for abortion care services that followed, Planned Parenthood and other clinics offering abortion care have closed many facilities across the country. Although use of telehealth to obtain abortion services has spiked in response, many patients are wary of receiving abortion care services other than through an in-person encounter. Urgent care centers have started to address this need by adding medical abortions to their available list of services.

Currently, farm bureaus in 14 states offer health insurance options for their members at price points lower than coverage obtained through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace. But saving on premiums often comes with a tradeoff, including a potentially narrower range of covered services, increased cost sharing, and a lack of protection against coverage rejections due to preexisting conditions.

Recent research shows that many states’ Medicaid administrative offices do not have sufficient personnel to address the heavy volumes of individuals needing assistance with enrollment or attaining benefits. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed last year is expected to intensify these already overly strained offices by requiring that they determine whether enrollees meet new work requirements, as well as verify on a semi-annual (versus annual) basis whether enrollees continue to qualify for Medicaid.

On February 17, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and The Endocrine Society each filed separate lawsuits (available here and here) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Both suits assert First Amendment claims, alleging retaliation and viewpoint discrimination stemming from the FTC’s issuance of Civil Investigative Demands targeting the organizations’ noncommercial scientific and policy speech regarding gender-affirming care. The AAP’s complaint further alleges the FTC “is acting in furtherance of the stated goal to ‘end’ access to and support of evidence-based treatments for gender dysphoria that the Administration and the FTC disagree with.”

On March 3, Republican members of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce (“E&C”) expanded their ongoing investigation into alleged Medicaid fraud in 10 states by sending letters requesting the production of records and communications, with responses due March 17. The expanded inquiry follows reports of various forms of Medicaid fraud in these states.

A recent study in Health Affairs Scholar found substantial variation in appointment availability and wait times for Medicare beneficiaries seeking primary care services across four U.S. urban areas surveyed. The findings underscore the need for continued evaluation of access to primary care for Medicare beneficiaries to ensure more consistency across the country’s metropolitan areas.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), establishes work and community engagement requirements for most Medicaid beneficiaries, requiring participation in work, volunteer service, or other work-related activities for a minimum of 80 hours per month, subject to certain exceptions. California estimates that about 1 to 2 million of its 14 million Medi-Cal recipients will lose coverage, either because they will fail to meet the work requirements or due to challenges associated with navigating the administrative process to comply. Individuals experiencing homelessness may be particularly affected, given the practical difficulties associated with meeting work verification, documentation, and periodic eligibility confirmation requirements.

The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is a $50 billion 5-year program (2026-2030) that aims to strengthen, modernize, and improve health care access and outcomes in rural U.S. communities. In December 2025, CMS awarded each state an average of $200 million. However, before rural hospitals can apply for funding, states must open applications, which many have failed to do, condensing the timeline for organizations to submit applications by the September 2026 deadline. Additionally, rural hospitals, many of which do not have experience in grant writing or have limited administrative resources, are reportedly concerned they will miss this significant funding opportunity.

Hospitals and community health centers participating in the 340B Drug Pricing Program (also known as covered entities) are objecting to new data‑reporting requirements imposed by several drug manufacturers. On March 6, Novo Nordisk issued a notice that, effective April 1, covered entities must submit comprehensive claims-level data in order to continue receiving 340B discounts. Eli Lilly issued a similar notice in January 2026. Although these drug manufacturers claim their objective is to ensure appropriate discounts go to the correct providers and are not duplicated, covered entities contend that that the requirements are unlawful and will limit access to lower-priced drugs. In response to Eli Lilly’s actions, the American Hospital Association (AHA) sent a letter to the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), which oversees this 340B program, urging HRSA to take action to halt the new reporting mandates, which they consider to be onerous administrative burdens.